The former Birmingham Post and Mail
HQ, that was one of the first glass slab International blocks built in the
United Kingdom and initially considered an architectural triumph is now home to
a high-spec, award winning car park in Birmingham city centre.

The Birmingham Post and Mail
building was originally built in the 1960s and was home to the Birmingham Post
and Evening Mail newspapers following its completion in 1964.

Opened by Princess Margaret in
1964, the 16-storey tower block which dominated the city’s skyline was 10 years
in the making. The plan of the building was based on the natural flow of
newspaper production; with a double-storey advertisement hall with Directors’
offices above, a two-storey publishing area and a machine hall in a deep
basement.The outstanding dramatic
feature of the exterior was the tall open arcade which linked the advertisement
hall to the editorial block across the front courtyard. The building cost £7.5
million to build and was considered the most modern newspaper building in
Europe.

The former Post and Mail Building was considered an
architectural triumph

The outstanding dramatic feature of the exterior is the tall
open arcade which links the advertisement hall to the editorial block across
the front courtyard.

In 2005, the editorial tower was
demolished to enable redevelopment of the site and that same year Trinity
Mirror Midlands, the publishing company behind the Birmingham Post & Mail
newspapers, vacated the remaining portion of the building (the printing works).

In July 2009 Chatham Billingham
(P&M) Limited bought the former printing works building and submitted a
planning application to develop the site, Phase 1 of which incorporates a
752-space underground car park over six storeys. Design and construction excellence
is apparent throughout the new six storey car park, from the ground-breaking
car parking technologies to the extremely high quality finishes found
throughout the car park, many of which can be considered to rival those found
in commercial buildings.

Phase 1 completed, now an underground city centre car park.

High quality finishes found throughout the car park, many of
which can be considered to rival those found in commercial buildings.

Phase 2 has planning permission for
Grade A office accommodation and residential apartments above the car park,
along with retail or restaurant use on the ground floor.